Tablets are one of the most common and preferred means of obtaining drugs today. Almost all kinds of illnesses, from mild cold to chronic diseases are considered, taking any number of pills for a period of time. But as science progresses and new combination drug discovery for treatment of various diseases, the number of tablets should be taken was the inconvenience for many people, especially the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.
One Egyptian team thinks they have found a solution.
During its last conference, held in Fez, Morocco, in October 2008, the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) has awarded the best Arab Technology Business Plan Award novel research and development team for their C-capsule project. The Panel finds that the project, which has won 13 of the projects submitted, will help combat the devastating disease like AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
"The business plan competition do not have good ideas and good intentions, but that a clear business plan that is practical and attractive to investors, and to compete in the world," explained team member Karim Ezzat, 25 years old pharmacologist.
Combinations of drugs
Ezzat explained IslamOnline.net framework of the project and how it can help patients suffering from chronic diseases.
The doses of drugs used to treat certain diseases, leading to an increase in microbial resistance to these drugs, eventually rendering them ineffective in treating. But by combining the active ingredients of several different drugs together in a single dose of this becoming a more effective way of combating this disease.
Such an approach known as the fixed-dose Combination (FDC), and is already being used. What they did, however, is that they changed the car, which will hold this combination of drugs, offering design tablets that are easy to produce and consume.
SCHN increases the effectiveness of treatment in one of two mechanisms. First, using a drug that attacks one of the micro-organism (cell wall, for example), and other attacks against the other party (eg DNA). Thus, if one of the drugs failed is likely that others will be successful.
Another mechanism is a micro-organism preparation attack on one of the stages of his life, while other attacks in different phases.
Despite these advantages, however, there is always the risk of possible interactions between different active ingredients with the subsequent dangers. The challenge for the team to retain the advantage SCHN at the same time to avoid any possible dangers.
Intentionally simple design
Ezzat explained that the idea behind the new design is the first active ingredient in conventional tablets. The cap including another ingredient to be added is already filled with pills, and they are sealed together. This enables the delivery of two drugs in the same vehicle with a higher efficiency in the removal of any possible interaction of the two drugs, and the walls pill itself serves as a barrier.
"We have developed a C-cap, we have many other attempts to use SCHN concept. However, they were completely new design of the new equipment needed [for production] why not have a good chance at commercialization," explained Ezzat.
Unlike other ideas for a few capsules Coupe, C-cap eliminates the need to develop new equipment, except vehicles, which would add a cap on the capsule. This, in turn, will provide two advantages, one is the simplicity of manufacturing and other economic efficiency.
Ezzat added that the idea of C-cap, not only take into account the industry, but the benefits gained by the patient. This will be much easier for patients to take just one pill instead of two. It will also be more convenient for the transfer of drugs from one country to another.
While the team believes that their project is a breakthrough, others view it with some skepticism.
"I do not think that the capsule would be a magic wand, as this concept is already there," said Dr. Osama El-Tayeb, Professor of Pharmacology, University of Cairo.
El-Tayeb explained that some tablets are already achieving the same goal. These pills filled with tiny spheres containing different active substances with different colors. These areas have different properties and both dissolve at different speeds, generating functions SCHN without the need to develop new pills.
Convenient C-cap:
Using the conventional pill, consisting of two parts, filled with traditional filling technologies, but with minor modifications. First active ingredient is enclosed and sealed. After sealing, the cover is added in a sealed capsule. This includes the second-cap active ingredient.
Hybrid C-cap:
The use of soft gelatin capsules, typically contain a liquid or semi-solid, and hard gelatin cap.
Three P-cap:
Uses convenient C-cap, but to add another cap on the other hand, that allows for a third of active ingredient inside the complex capsule.
Along with the ASTF, the Arab Technology Business Plan Competition was also organized by Intel Corporation. As a regional winner, his team won the Arab world, the United States at the 11 th Annual UC Berkeley Business Plan Competition, held in November 2008.
According to Intel, on the site, Berkeley contest designed to encourage young entrepreneurs to develop innovative technologies to solve real problems, the creation of a viable business model, and move that technology from university laboratories and in the market to make a positive impact on society. "
Although the team did not get the top to win the prize in Berkeley, they have a great impact on their work. It was a releif to examine them, how many obstacles they faced before their capsule was to be noticed.
"Usually it takes place at a university or research center, where you further research, as well as the market for your project. Unfortunately, in Egypt, we did not have that option," said team member Mohammed Abdel Aziz, Assistant German University in Cairo.
"We also made some attempts in the Arab region, which have not been encouraging. In the ASTF has given us an excellent opportunity to expose our projects at the international level, in Berkeley," Abdelaziz added.
Despite the fact that the team had been approached by both generic and multinational pharmaceutical companies in Egypt, none of them showed any interest in the C-capsule. So, who can use the idea and develop its industrial?
Abdel Aziz said that the idea has been welcomed at Berkeley, and that there may be a good opportunity to get good offers from there although the current international economic downturn can not help.
You may think that the large multinational pharmaceutical companies may have the means to purchase the project, but this will give the final product a higher price than if the local pharmaceutical companies in developing countries, as Egypt has adopted it. If this is really help the poor people in developing countries who suffer from AIDS and tuberculosis? It will continue to be seen.